Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Teaser Tuesday

I’m still in shock. I actually got a B on the algebra test. Considering last Friday I was staring at my practice test, crying because I was sure I’d fail (um, hormones had some play in that, too…), when I saw my score I sat there for the better part of 5 minutes thinking how in the world I did it. I guess cramming those 6 hours of study time over the weekend actually made a difference. Who knew? ;)

More importantly, though, I can’t believe I forgot to mention something so so important in yesterday’s post. By the way, if you haven’t noticed yet, there is a CONTEST going on here for free books, so check it out. But I forgot to mention the vital part: THANKING all of my followers! *smacks forehead* It was at the forefront of my mind but somehow it slipped away when I was typing up the blog. So sorry, and thank you. Thank you for your readership, and if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be having this contest (and would have given up blogging along time ago).

With that said, here is today’s teaser. This is from MYTHIC, shortly after this teaser, where Jessa fought off some nasty daemons (at night, side of the road) and suddenly finds herself in Death’s (Thanatos’s) presence again. This time, though, he isn’t after her soul. Oh, and he is holding up an unconscious/maybe dead Zach by the neck (she pitched him into the bushes when the daemons attacked). Henry showed up to heal Jessa’s nasty wounds and is fending off the daemons while she deals with Thanatos.

****

I didn’t look away from Thanatos. Couldn’t was a more appropriate word choice. He had some freakishly strong hypnotic grip on me. As much as I tried to check on Zach, see if he was breathing, my eyes couldn’t budge.

Thanatos’s eyes seemed to glitter under the moon. Where was Paul? Cynthia? Anyone? “Let him go.”

“Come with me.”

I ground my teeth, flexed my fingers, and hoped I didn’t have an asthma attack in front of him. Metal crunched behind me. I tried to turn, to check if Henry was okay and I wasn’t about to become shredded Demi again, but my eyes wouldn’t obey. Thanatos smiled.

Fine. Different tactics, then. “So the god of death is a little errand boy, now?”

His smile faltered just a little. Something dark flashed in his eyes. I blinked, reminding myself the guy—god—wasn’t very close. But I could see every fleck of color in his eyes as if looking through a magnifying glass.

He jerked Zach up. His feet dangled. My pulse jumped to my throat. “No!”

“Then stop playing games.”

“Tell me who you’re taking me to.” More scuffling behind me. God, I wanted to look so bad.

The earth shook, cracked, throwing me off balance. I stumbled back and braced myself. I still couldn’t rip my gaze from Thanatos. The ground parted next to him. A nasty sewage smell gagged the air, and from the depths of what I guessed was the Underworld, Hypnos flew out and landed on his feet next to his brother. Thanatos’s grip on me suddenly felt stronger, like Hypnos was the catalyst.

Shit. This wasn’t cool. “Henry?”

“A little busy!”

“Henry!” Dammit, I was going all girly again. Thanatos laughed.

The air stilled. A soft hiss brushed against my ear like air escaping tires. Hypnos and Thanatos frowned.

“Let him go.”

I gasped at Paul’s voice next to me, desperately wanting to see him. I fought with all my will against the invisible chains locking my eyes in place.

Hypnos laughed. His yellow cat-like eyes were on Paul. “Little late, Apollo.”

Cynthia’s scream rippled down my spine. My feet went in motion to turn, but my head couldn’t follow through. “Thanatos! I’m not going to do crap for you if you keep me like this.”

“They’re okay,” Paul said about Cynthia and Henry.

“How do I stop whatever he’s doing to me?” I whispered through my teeth.

Thanatos tilted his head. “I’ve little patience. Come now, or lose your friend.”

Paul’s sharp intake of breath couldn’t be a good sign. I couldn’t see him, but literally felt his entire body go tense.

I had to get out of Thanatos’s grip. If only he’d stop looking at me. I wasn’t sure if that was the trick, but seeing as he hadn’t taken his eyes off me the handful of seconds that passed . . .

I smiled, trying to look past the god of death. “It’s about time you showed up.”

I hoped Paul wouldn’t give me away and enjoyed the brief look of confusion on Thanatos’s face. I was playing on his instincts here, and he bought it. In the millimeter of a second it took to glance behind him, I broke my gaze and looked at Paul.

He held up my sword and touched my shoulder. “I got Hypnos.” His healing warmth revitalized my lungs and body.

I grabbed my weapon, threw a glance to Henry and Cynthia to make sure they had things handled, and then charged Thanatos. Hypnos flew in my way with a feral growl. In a streak of gold, Paul tackled him to the side. My sword leveled under Thanatos’s chin. It sucked not being able to revel at the look in his eyes. I stared at his nose, instead, afraid I’d become visually paralyzed otherwise.

“I don’t bargain with people trying to kill me.” I pushed the blade up, making him raise his chin.

22 comments:

  1. Wow! This is intense. I love the voice, it makes me feel the pressure and the fear so much more.

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  2. Chantal & Liz- Thanks! And thanks for stopping by the blog :)

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  3. Loved this story. :-) "I ground my teeth, flexed my fingers, and hoped I didn’t have an asthma attack in front of him." The voice is just great and so real.

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  4. nice snip! great tension and i loved the voice

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  5. I'm intriqued... Need to know more... I'll be checking up on this next Tuesday

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  6. That must be a helluva sword to hold the god of death at bay. Makes me curious what else is going on here.

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  7. Whoa, that was so bad ass! Love it. :)

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  8. Whoa! INTENSE. I'm curious about the Underworld. <3

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  9. Ooh I want more. This was an awesome snip, very intense!

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  10. Thanks! And Bryn, it isn't just the sword but who's holding it. She's the only person able to destroy a god if they get out of line. :D Not that she really gets that yet....

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  11. Awesome! Love the voice! Plus, some great sensory details..the scream rippling down the spine, the smell gagging the air, the magnifying glass analogy--LOVE IT! :D

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  12. Yay, Jessa! Goodness, she's so feisty -- I love her!

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  13. Asthmatic or not, your MC knows her psychology. ;) Nice teaser. Lots of tension, action, and great sensory detail.

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  14. That was intense! I really like your MC so feisty. It feels like you have something up your sleeve. Great Teaser!

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  15. Love the tension in this piece! MORE! MORE! MORE! PLEASE.....

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  16. Blogger ate my comment? I wanted to just say thanks to everyone for all the positive feedback!

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  17. VERY gripping scene! I was sucked in from the beginning to end and left wanting to know how it ended!!! Keep up the good work. :)

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  18. Oh, very intense! Good job. And congrats on your algebra test!

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  19. Very, very intense. Loved this. Stab the bastard, I say!

    And congrants on your algebra test.

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  20. WOW! The voice pops off the page, and I love the attitude here! I heart snarky characters! Very intense and way cool!

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